For me the menthol is perfect but if my brother-in-law, for example were to try to use it he'd never be able to bear such intense menthol.
So to recap, the soap requires extra work to lather, and the lather is mediocre, bit if you're a menthol lover it will make it all worthwhile.
The puck Jeff reviewed is a tester puck. I wouldn't expect it to stay that way and Rod said he was going to make changes to it. Something about the specific menthol crystals he used diluted the lather.
I have tried both of his test batches. The one you have I believe has some eucalyptus in it but it is hardly noticeable past the menthol. The other was a wintergreen forward scent that I enjoyed. Both froze like I have never had before. His site says he has sold all of the test batch pucks and only has samples left that he is offering free with an order. Like Ryan B said the lather is not up to snuff with where his current soaps are. The lather is like a yogurt consistency, not much fluff to it, but still a very comfortable shave. I am sure he will get it right. Stirling seems almost obsessed with great customer service.
Not at all. This first batch of Glacial was a test batch. It does not produce a large volume of lather, but it produces a great slick cushioning lather and gives a great shave. Rod at Stirling offered to refund the money to those that tried this version and were not satisfied. He is putting the finishing touches on the final version now. Don't judge Stirling soaps by this test version of Glacial. I will be one of the first to order the final version, but this one shaves great and the menthol is off the charts. I still have an almost full puck of the "Beta" version and will gladly use all of it. I also have a puck of the new Spice waiting in the wings and a puck of the new Clubman on the way.
I guess it is time for an update. I got to use the sample puck of Stirling Blu today that Rod included in my last order. It easily produced a great lather. I don't know what Polo Blue smells like, but the scent is nice. So far I have tried the Margaritas in the Arctic, Scots Pine Sheep, Ozark Mountain, Tea Tree, Spice, and Glacial(beta version) over the past several months. I have gotten good lather and shaves from all of them. The Glacial beta version did not produce a lot of lather, but it shaved well....and oh the menthol blast!! Rod is getting a final version of Glacial ready to go with better lathering ability. The only one that I personally was not crazy about was the Tea Tree. I have a sample of Lavender & Sage yet to try and a full puck of the new Clubman . Rod's soaps just keep getting better and I think he has reached the plateau where the new generation will stand up well next to about anything out there. He also provides the best customer service you can get from any vendor!
My first go with the Stirling soap. I used the sample puck of Frozen Tundra included with my order. I pressed the 1/2 puck into an empty DRHarris wooden bowl—I do like the pliability of the soap—and using a damp silvertip brush, proceeded to lather up. The soap lathered easily. The scent is unique, and I'm hard-pressed to be able to accurrately describe it: "outdoorsy" is rather vague; 'earthy' would seem more appropriate for describing a compost bin; so I'll settle for 'fresh wilderness-like' Doing the pinch & rub between the thumb & finger test, the lather feels quite slick and creamy. On the face, the lather coats effectives and provided a nice, thick barrier between my skin & the R41's edge. The menthol really chills the face in a pleasant manner. The scent is subtle compared to other menthol lathers (such as Proraso). Overall, I found it to be a very nice shaving soap. I look forward to trying other soaps from Stirling.
I already wrote a review of the Glacial and I'll sum it up like this. The scent is very nice - ok not like Wrigley's Winter-Fresh gum, in fact to my nose it's just about pure menthol. The lather is a bit of a challenge to work up, but if you're patient you can and you will get a very decent and acceptable lather. The menthol effect is INTENSE. In fact it's so powerful that it feels like an arctic wind on your face - even more so than Iced Subzero or QCS Vostok. The post-shave feeling is not only frigid, it's VERY moisturizing and protective against irritation. Well done, Rod!
They have a few soaps on clearance now and then. I recently purchased their beer scented and pumpkin pie scented soaps that were on clearance. I really liked the scents and the lather was really good on top of it all. I was not disappointed.
I got to try my puck of the new Clubman today. It did not disappoint. The scent is VERY close to Clubman and the shave was excellent. I also just got a glass bottle for my Clubman. A good morning all around. I have some more Stirling product on the way to me along with the 2 pucks of Margaritas in the Arctic I ordered for the PIF. FYI-That is one of Rod's medium Tins with a full puck in it.
I love these tins that they sale. They do the job, don't cost too much, and the pucks fit perfectly in the "small" size tin.
Scots Pine and Anise were the first two of his scents I tried, and I think still my two favorites. Has anyone tried his new Rose scented soap yet?
Agreed on the tins Rod sells, they only cost less if you buy at least a dozen from other places then you add shipping. Great soaps and tins with prices to match.
I got to try the new Bay Rum today. As expected: great lather, great scent, great shave. Good match with Krampert's Bay Rum! Recent additions:
